The same thought is repeated with greater simplicity, and perhaps even beauty, in the beginning of the Fifth Book: ——‘So much the more His wonder was to find unawaken’d Eve With tresses discompos’d and glowing cheek, As through unquiet rest: he on his side Leaning half-rais’d, with looks of cordial love Hung over her enamour’d, and beheld Beauty, which whether waking or asleep Shot forth peculiar graces; then, with voice Mild, as when Zephyrus on Flora breathes, Her hand soft touching, whisper’d thus. Awake My fairest, my espous’d, my latest found, Heav’n’s last best gift, my ever new delight, Awake’.... The general style, indeed, in which _Eve_ is addressed by _Adam_, or described by the poet, is in the highest strain of compliment: ‘When Adam thus to Eve. Fair consort, the hour Of night approaches.’... ‘To whom thus Eve, with perfect beauty adorn’d.’ ‘To whom our general ancestor replied, Daughter of God and Man, accomplish’d Eve.’ _Eve_ is herself so well convinced that these epithets are her due, that the idea follows her in her sleep, and she dreams of herself as the paragon of nature, the wonder of the universe: ——‘Methought Close at mine ear one call’d me forth to walk, With gentle voice, I thought it thine; it said, Why sleep’st thou, Eve? Now is the pleasant time, The cool, the silent, save where silence yields To the night-warbling bird, that now awake Tunes sweetest his love-labour’d song; now reigns Full-orb’d the moon, and with more pleasing light Shadowy sets off the face of things; in vain, If none regard; Heav’n wakes with all his eyes, Whom to behold but thee, Nature’s desire? In whose sight all things joy, with ravishment Attracted by thy beauty still to gaze.’ This is the very topic, too, on which the Serpent afterwards enlarges with so much artful insinuation and fatal confidence of success. ‘So talked the spirited sly snake.’ The conclusion of the foregoing scene, in which _Eve_ relates her dream and _Adam_ comforts her, is such an exquisite piece of description, that, though not to our immediate purpose, we cannot refrain from quoting it: ‘So cheer’d he his fair spouse, and she was cheer’d; But silently a gentle tear let fall From either eye, and wip’d them with her hair; Two other precious drops that ready stood, Each in their crystal sluice, he ere they fell Kiss’d, as the gracious signs of sweet remorse And pious awe, that fear’d to have offended.’